Ice hockey: regulation time, overtime and your bonus
Hockey is the sport where settlement rules surprise bettors most often. The same team can "win" the game and still lose your bet, because the market you chose was settled after 60 minutes of regulation time while the game was decided in overtime or a shoot-out. When bonus wagering is involved, that distinction also decides which bets count toward the target and which leave it untouched.
Two families of markets
| Market family | Settled on | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Three-way result (1X2) | Regulation time (60 minutes) | A game level after 60 minutes is a draw, whatever happens later |
| Money line / to win including OT | Final result incl. overtime and shoot-out | No draw option; shorter odds on the favourite |
| Totals | Depends on the market wording | Check whether overtime goals are included |
| Puck line (±1.5) | Usually including overtime | A shoot-out winner may be credited with one goal |
Why this matters for wagering
Bonus terms usually count only settled wins and losses at or above a minimum price. The "including overtime" money line often prices a favourite below a typical minimum, while the regulation-time three-way market offers longer odds on the same team. The second qualifies more easily — but it also loses if the game goes to overtime. Choosing a market only because it meets the bonus minimum, without understanding how it settles, is how good predictions become losing bets.
Worked example: one game, two outcomes
You back the home team to win, €20 at 2.10 in the three-way market. The game is 2–2 after 60 minutes, and the home team wins in overtime. Your bet loses, settled as a draw, and the €20 counts toward wagering as a lost bet. Had you taken the money line at 1.55, the bet would have won — and at a minimum of 1.50 it would also have counted (illustrative example, not an Irwin term). Same game, same team, different settlement.
Postponed games
Hockey schedules shift, and postponed games are usually voided if not played within a set window. A void returns the stake and generally adds nothing to wagering. In an accumulator the leg drops out and the total odds fall, which can push the slip below the bonus minimum.
Hockey checklist for bonus players
- Know whether your market is 60 minutes or includes overtime.
- Check whether totals include overtime and how shoot-outs are scored.
- Compare the price with the bonus minimum for the market you actually mean.
Compare with basketball, where overtime is usually included, and tennis. Back to the sports bonus overview.